Why Use a Contour Pillow? Here are 7 amazing benefits – The Bedding Planet

Why Use a Contour Pillow? Here are 7 amazing benefits


It is difficult to comprehend that after sleeping throughout the night for eight hours, you wake up with neck pain or pain in the legs. It’s even harder to comprehend that after sleeping for hours you are not well-rested.

The major cause of these sleepless nights is prolonged abnormal sleep posture. It is important to maintain a good spinal posture when you sleep. 

People might not know this, but the truth is that the kind of pillow you use also aids your posture. Today we will be looking at the contour pillow and how it helps the body. 

What is a Contour Pillow?

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A contour pillow is designed to fit different parts of your body easily. It is designed to target a specific body part, which you dominantly rely on when sleeping. The contour pillow comes in various forms for the different parts of the body, such as for the head and neck, and the legs, for the full body. 

The contour pillow is designed in a concave form. This supports the body lying down. For instance, a contour pillow for the neck fits the hollow space between the head and shoulders. 

For people who sleep on their side, the leg contour pillow is advised to use. It has more depth than the one for the neck. 

It is suitable for old people, young people, male and female, people who have sleep apnea, people with skin allergies, sick people, people who are undergoing therapy. It offers support for them. 

The pillow comes in different forms to suit your individual requirements 

The 7 Benefits of Using a Contour Pillow

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Many people do not have knowledge of the contour pillow, however, it comes with a lot of benefits for the body. It is very easy to spot it. It has two humps and a dip in between. Just picture a pillow shaped like two hills and a valley except they are not steep. 

1. It is a cheaper option for treatments

When you keep waking up to sore muscles, you might have to go for massage treatments which cost about $60 to $100 per hour on average. You might require multiple sessions.

The chiropractor might tell you you need to come for multiple sessions and heat or physical therapy. Meanwhile, the contour pillow is cheap in comparison. First, it’s a one-off buy which costs about $11-$60 and you might not need a new one in years. 

2. It reduces pain and provides comfort

Good sleeping posture means you sleep well and you don’t have sore muscles. The contour pillow doesn’t just alleviate pain from lying in the bed, it also provides a lot of comforts when you’re sleeping.

The fabrics of the contour pillow are made so that the pillow remains cool all through the night.  This way you can have a good night’s sleep without waking up at night due to overheating. 

The material of the contour pillow is light when compared to other types of pillows so this makes them the best type of pillows for comfort. 

3. It is hypoallergenic, firm, and offers support without any harmful side effects 

For people who have sensitive skins that are prone to allergies and breakouts, a contour pillow is a wonderful option. A contour pillow does not retain dust and dirt. It is also easy to clean so it reduces the risk of allergies. 

The material is firm so it offers support for the neck and spine. You can have uninterrupted sleep with the contour pillow. 

Another good thing about contour pillows is that it doesn’t have harmful side effects. You can be given prescription pills to help your sleep but they have their side effects which can be harmful. You don’t have to worry about that when you use contour pillows because you will sleep in a natural position. 

4. It retains its original shape

Feather pillows are very soft but due to continuous use, they start to have clumps in them. You will notice that after using your feather pillows for a while, some parts become low and other parts are high. This is because of clumps.

However, contour pillows are made with memory foam. This is the highest quality of pillow stuffing and it always retains its shape. 

5. It aligns the back and neck for a good sleeping posture

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When you’re very exhausted from the day’s work, it is very easy to sleep at very odd angles, then you Wake up with pains in your neck. Regular pillows tend to push your neck up while sleeping thereby distorting your spine alignment and causing discomfort. 

When you use a contour pillow, you do not have to worry about how you sleep. This is because the pillow aligns your neck and spine area by providing support for the whole area when you lay on your back or side. It helps you sleep in a natural position. 

6. It decreases snoring 

People who snore when sleeping often have their airways slightly blocked. If you snore while sleeping, then a contour pillow is good for you.

A contour pillow raises your head slightly and prevents your airways from being obstructed. The contour pillow is even very good for people who have sleep apnea. 

7. It lessens the pressure on the joints

A bad sleeping position results in sore muscles which tend to put pressure on the joints. A contour pillow prevents the muscles from tensing up and supports joints. 

Is it Healthy to Sleep on a Contour Pillow?

The simple answer is; Yes, it’s very beneficial. Sleep experts have proved that there are many physical and health benefits of using this type of pillow. For example, it is helpful to people who have sleep apnea, skin allergies, and people who wake up with sore muscles. 

How do You Use a Contour Pillow?

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There are different ways to use a contour pillow depending on how you sleep and what you’re using it for. 

While sleeping on your back or side, place the pillow on the bed. It has a higher hump and a lower hump with a dip in the middle. The ideal thing is to place the higher hump behind your neck. This aligns your neck with your head and spine.

If you sleep on your stomach, it is not advisable to sleep with a contour pillow as it might obstruct your breathing. For leg contour pillows, the pillows should be kept either at the center or the lower part of the legs. The thinner part should be between the legs, stopping them from being together. This would alleviate lower back pain and pelvic pains. 

A new pillow needs to be worn just like a new shoe. When you change your old pillow to a contour pillow, you can start using it by using the contour pillow at the beginning of each night. If you feel uncomfortable then you can change back to your old pillow for the rest of the night. It takes up to two weeks before a person is comfortable with the contour pillow. 

Are Contour Pillows Good For Your Neck?

You might have doubts about whether the contour pillow is good for your neck and shoulders and I assure you that it is very good. The orthopedic contour pillow is specifically designed to help your neck by aligning it with your body when you sleep. 

It is very convenient for your neck and shoulders because it provides firm support for your neck and it is soft enough to alleviate pressure points. This is very convenient for people going through physiotherapy as it supports their care and aids recovery. 

A lot of people like contour pillows that are made from memory foam. This is because it is firm and offers pressure relief ensuring that you do not wake up with a stiff neck. 

How to Clean Contour Pillows

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Just like your other pillows, the contour pillow should be washed once in two months. This ensures that it remains clean and soft. The contour pillow is very safe and hygienic and much easier to clean than the regular pillow as it doesn’t store dirt inside and outside the pillow. 

One would think that the easiest and most advantageous way of cleaning the contour pillow is by throwing it in the washing machine, however, the contour pillow which is made of memory foam cannot go into the washer so we’re back to where we started. 

To preserve your contour pillow from germs, you should vacuum the pillow every time you change sheets. Also, you can spot clean the pillow often to remove sweat residue. 

Do not scrub or twist your contour pillow hard as it is very delicate. You should also use gentle cleaning agents. 

While you can’t put a contour pillow on the washer, you can wash it by: 

  • First, Fill up a sink or bathtub with lukewarm water and a small amount of gentle detergent. 
  • Slowly,  submerge your pillow under the soapy water. Squeeze it to allow the soapy water to run beneath the surface. Repeat this action, twice.
  • Drain the soapy water and refill with clean water. Squeeze the pillow several times, allowing the clean water to wash away any persisting dirt or soap until the water runs clear.
  • Gently squeeze your pillow to remove excess water, but don’t twist or rigorously squeeze the foam as it will damage it. 
  • Leave it to air dry, preferably in direct sunlight or outdoors. If neither is available, leave your memory foam pillow under a ceiling fan or dryer.

If you don’t understand how to clean it then your best option is to take the pillow to the dry cleaner. 

It is recommended that you change your contour pillow after 18-36 months.

Our Recommendation

Interested in getting your own contour pillow?

We offer our own contour pillow that’s made out of memory foam. The pillow is called “MemorySleep” and is designed to align your spine in a neutral position and provide ultimate pressure relief for comfortable sleep. If you want to learn more about the pillow, you can do so over at our store here.

Conclusion

If you often have sore muscles when you wake up or you don’t feel very rested, maybe it’s time to ditch your regular pillows and try out the contour pillow. When you want to get contour pillows, if you don’t know which one to get, Amazon offers a wide selection, you would find the best one for you there.

Niklas Lampi

My name is Niklas and I'm the author and content operator at The Bedding Planet. I've always had a big interest in bedding and more specifically sleep. If I find something that makes me sleep better, whether that's a lifestyle change or a better bedding environment, I'm ready to share it with the world!

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